Climate
The climate can be brisk in winter, with snow on the higher peaks.
Characteristics
Healesville is the gateway to towering ash forests, waterfalls and fern
bowers. The township is surrounded by high mountains, and one of Victoria's
most picturesque mountain highways climbs from Healesville to Marysville
over the Black Spur through forests of mountain ash, beech and wattle.
How to Get There By Rail
From Melbourne's Flinders Street Station, take a train to Lilydale, which
connects with a V/Line coach to Healesville.
By Road
From Melbourne, via the Maroon-dah Highway.
Tourist Information
The Yarra Valley Visitor Information Centre is in The Old Courthouse, Harker
Street, (03) 5962 2600, email info@yarravalleytourism. asn.au, online
at www.yarra valleytourism.asn.au
Accommodation
Healesville does not offer a wide choice of accommodation, but here is
a selection, with prices for a double room per night which should be
used as a guide only. &The telephone area code is 03.
Caravan Parks
Badger Creek Caravan & Holiday Park, 419 Don Road, 5962 4328. (No pets
allowed) - powered sites $20-24 for two, no on-site vans.
Ashgrove Tourist Park & Holiday Units, 322 Don Road, 5962 4398. (Pets
allowed by prior arrangement) - powered sites $20-22 for two, no on-site
vans.
Eating Out
Some of the motels have BYO restaurants, and the hotels have licensed restaurants
or bistros. Here are a few others you might like to try.
Mount Rael Restaurant, Healesville/Yarra Glen Road, 5962 4107- BYO, Australian
cuisine.
Strathvea Country House, Myers Creek Road, 5962 4109 - BYO, Australian
cuisine.
Ming Gardens Restaurant, 271 Maroondah Highway, 5962 5067
Montiverdi Pizza Restaurant, 335 Maroondah Highway, 5962 4455 - BYO and
licensed, eat in or takeaway.
Healesville Piquant Palate, 278 Maroondah Highway, 5962 3625, is a deli
and restaurant. They specialise in Teddy Bears Picnic Baskets, specially
prepared for a relaxing day in the country. They ask if orders for the
baskets could be placed the day before they are needed.
Points of Interest
One of the most popular attractions is the Healesville Sanctuary in Badger
Creek Road, 5957 2800. The sanctuary is the only place where the platypus
has been bred in captivity, and they are on display here hbetween 11.30am-3.30pm.
There are also koalas, wombats, kangaroos and emus, and a Nocturnal House
with some of Australia's least-seen animals such as the Leadbeater possum,
kowari, sugar gliders and potaroos. The Reptile House has a selection
of Australia's venomous snakes, and in another area there are lyrebirds,
that have also been successfully bred here. The Sanctuary has a catering
centre for picnic lunches, a licensed bistro, and a gift shop. Open daily
9am-5pm.
Hedgend Maze, at 163 Albert Road, is a giant hedge carved into a maze,
with cryptic messages to solve on the way to help you get through. The
grounds make for a pleasant picnic setting. It is open daily from 10am,
5962 3636.
Maroondah Reservoir is a popular place, and is set in a landscaped park
of exotic and native trees, shrubs and flowers.
Badger Weir and Donnelly's Weir also provide beautiful bushland walks and
superb picnic-barbecue areas. For the more energetic, walking tracks explore
local National Parks and Forests.
Queen's Park, in the centre of the township, is ideal for picnics, and
has a sports oval, tennis courts, children's playground and swimming pool.
11km (7 miles) west of Healesville is the township of Yarra Glen, and the
Yarra Valley Tourist Railway winds between the two towns. A group of volunteers
are in the process of making the railway a premier tourist attraction.
Trolley rides can be taken from Healesville Station through a 100m old,
brick-lined tunnel. Just out of Yarra Glen is the historic Gulf Station,
which is worth a visit.
Toolangi, about 30km (19 miles) north of Healesville, was the home of C.J.
Dennis, author of The Sentimental Bloke. Arden, the 'Singing Garden' he
and his wife Biddy created, is open daily 10am-5pm. The 1.5ha rhododendron
gardens are a delight, and there are Tea Rooms where you can spend some
time admiring them, and enjoying a light lunch. Across the road is Toolangi
Pottery, where master potter David Williams produces and displays his stoneware
and crystalline pottery. His work has been exhibited in the National Gallery
of Victoria.
Wineries
The Yarra Valley has many wineries, and here they are listed, with the
cellar door hours.
Festivals
The Yarra Valley Expo, celebrating the regions wine, food and farmlife,
is held in March.
Facilities
Lawn bowls, swimming, tennis, golf, fishing, greyhound racing, horseracing,
harness racing and squash. There is a cinema on the highway.
Outlying Attractions Marysville
Situated 36km (22 miles) north-east of Healesville, Marysville is high
in the Great Dividing Range, 500m (1640 ft) above sea level. It has great
forests and tree-fern gullies, and is a cool and welcome retreat. In winter,
nearby Lake Mountain offers one of the best cross-country ski areas outside
Scandinavia. There is an 18-hole golf course, and horse riding on mountain
trails is available. Bushwalking is also a popular pastime.
Steavenson Falls, the tallest in Victoria, cascade 82m (269 ft) in three
leaps and are floodlit at night.
Accommodation is available in guesthouses, holiday lodges, cabins and motels,
as well as a camping and caravan park beside the Steavenson River. For
more information on Marysville, contact the Visitor Information Centre,
11 Murchison Street, (03) 5963 4567.
Eildon and Alexandra
These towns are the gateways to Lake Eildon and Fraser National Park. Both
have facilities for fishing, bushwalking, camping, water skiing, swimming,
sailing, cross country skiing, golf, tennis, squash and bowls, and accommodation
is plentiful.
Alexandra is 69km (43 miles) north of Healesville, and Eildon is 26km (16
miles) east of Alexandra.
There are quite a few attractions - art and craft shops and galleries;
fauna parks with native animals, deer and camels; The Timber Tramway & Museum
at the old railway station, Alexandra, 5772 2392; and the Visitor Centre
at 45a Grant Street, Alexandra, (03) 5772 1100 will assist with further
enquiries.
